VMs Discuss Start Times for Lawn Maintenance

At their Aug. 8 meeting, Voting Members tackled one Bridges' resident's complaint about lawn maintenance work being done early on Saturday mornings.

The session started with the unanimous, final approval for the Townhomes of West Park Village’s door color guideline amendment.

Kristen Braghi of The Bridges spoke next about an issue she has been having with weekend noise. She complained a lawn service in her neighborhood cuts several neighbors’ lawns every Saturday from approximately 7:30 a.m. until around 10 a.m. She said she spoke to the vendor about not starting so early and he explained the association currently had no operating hours for commercial lawn maintenance.

Suggesting a limit might be added to existing WCA rules regarding start times for home construction work, VM Ralph Caputo (Abbotsford) asked, “What would you suggest is a reasonable time?”

Braghi responded that 9 a.m. seemed appropriate.

Caputo asked VMs, “Do we all agree with the 9 a.m. time?”

VM Nancy Sells (Harbor Links) added, “I think she has a valid point because the guideline as it is written now was during the construction days of Westchase. She has tried to talk with the neighbors. We need to have it so that it protects all of the residents all of the time.”

When Griffin asked what prevented VMs from immediately making a guideline change, Collazo replied, “A guideline change requires two notices and two meetings.”

Linda Ryan, a Bridges resident, then weighed in. “I understand what you are talking about,” she said to Braghi, “but in his defense, by 9 a.m., it is 90 degrees out and it’s hot. The neighbors didn’t get a special deal [by combining yards]. We did it because he’s good.”

VM Russ Crooks (Bennington) said, “I move at the consensus of the board that outside work activities start no earlier than 9 a.m.”

When the vote was taken, 19 VMs were in favor with 6 opposed, so the motion passed. Collazo said he would put it on the agenda for the Aug. 10 board meeting. Subsequently, however, the board took no action, citing the fact that VMs rather than the WCA Board have the sole power to establish deed restrictions and guidelines.

VM Claudia Blali (Reserve at West Park Village) updated the group on the sales of he new West Park townhomes, announcing, “We have one sale as of today. The reason we believe we don’t have more is because people want to see things finished, so the first building should be done by mid-September.”

Blali, David Weekley Homes’ represented, added they will open a model home and staff it with a sales person. “We have started on the second building and expect to have it finished by October and already have plans for a third one,” she said. “There will be a grand opening in mid-September.”

VM Eric Holt (Radcliffe) then updated the group on the activities of the Westchase Krewe of Freebooters and thanked the WCA board for allowing the group to use the activity room for a July 29 event. He added, “Sunday, I and another crew member signed our contract for a new float. We have 36 members and expect to have 56 soon.”

Holt added the group’s golf tournament fundraiser will be on Sept. 16 followed by a poker tournament in November.

Nominating Chair Keith Heinemann then addressed September’s elections for the WCA board. “I’ve talked to a number of you about running. It’s only five weeks away,” Heinemann added that two incumbents were running for the three available seats so one would be filled by a newcomer. Interested homeowners can still nominate themselves at the election, held during the VM meeting on Sept. 12.

Rick Goldstein, Government Affairs Committee (GAC) chair, then provided an update. He said that Keswick Forest’s Brian Loudermilk and he had met with some people to talk about crosswalk signals for pedestrian crossings and how to make them safer.

Goldstein also alerted VMs that there is a GAC-hosted transportation forum on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center. Representatives of Tampa Bay NEXT will make a presentation and Goldstein stated the association would like a strong showing of residents. “We are known as a very active homeowners’ association so it is helpful to have as many people show up as we can. This group is looking at all types of transportation – walking, buses, driverless cars, etc.”